Never Waking
by Faloana
Summary: RikuXSora Alternate Universe Riku is a perfectly average high school student. Until he starts seeing spirits of the dead. The dead speak to him, and soon finds out, these people are still alive!
1. Chapter 1 Message From Her

**Warnings: Contains Shounen Ai. Shounen Ai: Fluffy and/or soft core romance between two males. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own them. **

**Notes: Please be kind. I'm no writer. I simply write because I enjoy it from time to time. I'm generally an illustraitor. :3 Thank you Kaze, for editing this for me. It looks much better now.  
**

**A Message From "Her"**

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The wind brushed through the cherry blossom trees slowly, eliciting a sound like the ocean waves from them as the breeze carried off stray blossoms and petals within it. The area was silent, so silent. All that could be heard was that relaxing sound of the sea.

A boy stood and watched as the school bell rang, that same wind catching his spiky brown locks. He only stared, those brilliant deep blue eyes catching particles of light within them. People began to rush out of the rustic wooden cottage they called a school house. The place had been built several centuries ago, and thus had been labeled a still-in-use monument. So they never really remodeled save a few necessities.

Many young teenagers began to wander their way out and around the courtyard, either enjoying the afternoon air or just hanging out with their friends making plans for the remainder of their day. But one boy caught his eye.

Silver shone within the bright summer sun. And those eyes - Oh those eyes! Such deep, passionate green within them! It brought a slight smile to his lips, but that smile soon faded, as was custom, when a group of girls came rushing around him.

Riku. That was his name. He'd been watching the silver haired youth for as long as he could remember, but he was so shy he couldn't approach him, let alone confess. He was a boy after all. And Riku always had the attention of so many girls… He assumed it was hopeless.

As he watched Riku laugh and smile at each of the gawking girls, Sora simply turned away. He didn't have any friends. He was always the outcast. Although people naturally flocked to him, in the end, his depression and very air of negative emotion pushed them all away.

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The pavement clacked under the heels of his boot, as the two boys set home that early evening from their school house. The air around them seemed cooler and cooler as they headed down the street, walls intruding on either side of them as they kept down that street of houses. The trees grew more or more vibrant, while they walked, as they were beginning to near the local park in the center of their little neighbourhood.

He sighed as he flipped through that day's lesson book, a frown pushing down on his otherwise pretty features. "I don't get any of this…" Riku said, closing the book with a quick snap. The blond boy next to him simply chuckled.

"That's because you're always drifting off in class. Maybe you should think about paying more attention then thinking about all those girls everyday." Roxas laughed, pulling a bit on his school uniform.

Riku just glared at him a little through his long silver bangs. "Hey! I do not think about girls all day. I'm not a total space case, like SOMEbody I know."

Roxas just laughed again, waving his friend off. "Yeah, riiiight. Unlike you, I -have- a girlfriend."

"Yeah, how is that working out? I heard you two got into an argument a few days ago."

The blond just sighed, bowing his head in defeat. "Yeah… But we're cool now. Namine' seems to be fine when I just apologize for everything."

Riku laughed, stuffing the offending book back into his sling sack that hung on his shoulder. "Your cute face isn't going to get you out of everything, Roxas. But I'm glad you two are okay. You guys are good together."

That got Roxas' attention. Yes, he and Namine' were very good together, but somehow it was a constant reminder that, despite Riku having the attention of just about every girl in their school, he lacked an actual girlfriend. And Riku wasn't one to just sleep around either. Frankly it just confused him. "...Hey, you know... Kairi's been asking about you. A lot. I think she likes you."

He just huffed a bit, folding his arms. "Roxas, not that again. Come on, I said I'm not interested okay? I'm just focusing on my studies right now…"

"Riku, it seems more to me like you're just avoiding something. What is it?"

"It's nothing okay! Ugh… Just…" Riku stopped, a slight sigh passing through his lips before he gave Roxas a weak smile. "…Just not interested, y'know? I--" He stopped. Roxas looked confused for a second, but thankfully stayed quiet long enough so Riku could focus on what had caught his attention. It was a person, but they were all beaten up! He quickly shoved Roxas out of the way, as he watched the person walk behind a tree leading towards the local park. They had looked so… blank, almost emotionless. Their clothes were all torn and ripped and they looked a little bloody around the arms and face, but even more so on the legs.

Disregarding his friend, he quickly followed that person into the park. For someone walking so slow, possibly with a limp, they seemed to move really damn fast!

"Hey wait!" Riku called, the cries of his friend asking what's wrong drowned out by his own shoes clapping on the pavement sidewalk. The trees just seemed to grow thicker and thicker, less and less light streaming from the leaves gaps. Riku seemed a bit flustered, having seen such a thing and simply having it walk away as if it were nothing at all.

As he entered the park, he had to stop around the center of it. That girl had been walking. Walking! How could he lose her? And why would she just ignore him?

"Hey!" he called out, looking from tree to tree all around him to try and find the girl. It couldn't of been his imagination. "Hey, lady! Where are you? I'm a friend, I wanna help!" He tried again - nothing still.

He sighed, running his hand through the back of his hair. This was crazy. He just saw her. He was sure of it! She had been standing - or walking - right in front of him a moment ago! The trees, these damn trees just seemed to swallow her up, claiming poor Riku to be compleately mad. Perhaps he imagined it. Maybe.. Maybe it was just his imagination. Great. Now he was going crazy. A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he began to turn around towards where he left his poor friend waiting, but stopped short and almost stumbled backwards onto the grass. Very suddenly, out of nowhere, that girl was right in front of him! And really freaking close, too! It scared the hell out of him and he immediately scrambled to his feet, putting a hand to his heart. "What are you trying to do, kill me!? You scared me half to death. Hey… are you okay?"

She only stared at him. Her skin was so deathly pale, and she looked like she'd been beaten down pretty badly. And by the blood on her legs, dripping down from the center of her thighs all the way down to her knees. It implied she went through much more than a simple mugging.He didn't want to think about what else might have happened.

But he couldn't help but notice her eyes. Or eye, he should think. The other was covered by half ripped scraggy blond hair. But the visible eye was lifeless. Such a pretty green, just like his, but completely lifeless.

"...He...lp..." She said slowly, as if she'd been screaming for hours and her voice finally caved in.

Riku looked worried now, and immediately reached down for his cellphone. "H..Hold on! I'll call an ambulance!" He rummaged through his bag a second, before he finally did find it, and flipped it open. As he did, the screen on his cell flickered and fluttered, the images it should of displayed nothing more than static. A second or two it would show up clearer images, but even then there were lines of interfearance dancing across the tiny frame.

"What the hell..?" He looked back up at the girl, biting his lip. "Lady… what happened? Come on, I'll take you somewhere safe."

"...D...ie...d...th...er...e..." she cracked (find a different word) out. Riku just looked more confused, but she simply pointed towards the fountain in the middle of the park.

Riku looked, but there was nothing there. "...What? What's the fountain got to do with it?"

"...Wi...ll...di...e...t...her...e..."

Riku frowned. "...You're gonna die there? Lady, you can't think about committing su--" But as he looked back at her, she was gone.

Only the soft ocean sound of the trees, lapping waves in the leaves, was his company now.


	2. Chapter 2 NeverThere Memories

_**Warnings - May contain yaoi and/or shounen ai. These subjects are of a homosexual nature. If this is not what you prefer to read, please do not continue. Doing so will be of your own violation and I will not be held responsible for the concequences. **_

_**Disclaimer - Kingdom Hearts is property of Disney and SquareEnix. Any characters not listed as property of these companies belong to me. Do not use my characters without permission. Though why you'd want to I have no idea. **_

_**Notes: Thank you so much for reading this far! I've been enjoying writing this one for some reason. It's really fun. The plotline is developing well, and soon you'll get all the Riku x Sora fluff you want! **_

_**Thank You: Serenity Denied of for editing my peice for me. I'm terrible at writing, and i'd be lost without all my friends to tell me this stuff. :P**_

**Never-There Memories**

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When he'd gone back to his friend, he'd gone back with a complete look of confusion scrolled all over his face. That woman he'd seen was no figment of his imagination. The very fact she was bloody, beaten and emotionless scared the crap out of him - among other things. 'Going to die'? What did that mean? Was that poor girl going to commit suicide..? He hoped not..

Roxas regarded Riku with something between irritation and worry. Poor Roxas, he had no idea what was going on, and it was plain as day. Though he didn't have to say much, or ask any questions before Riku began his would-be hysterical rant - If it weren't Riku.

"Roxas! Did you see her? That girl was completely beaten to a pulp!" Riku breathed heavily from his run back to the blond. He'd been so excited and anxious; he just took off a bare minute after she disappeared.

Roxas just looked more confused. "What girl..? I didn't see a girl." He sighed, raising a gentle hand to lay it over his friend's shoulder. "Riku.. Hey, look if you don't want to talk about the girls or Kairi, I understand. Alright? Don't worry! I mean, it's not as i--"

"She was right there! I swear she was!" He cried, his expression beginning to look more desperate. He'd seen her! His blond friend simply sighed, shaking his head, but Riku continued. "Look, she was blond.. in a white dress. It was all torn up and kinda bloody, especially her legs - and.. She had eyes! Like mine, see? Green..?" His voice trailed off. The look on his **friends** face, told him he probably should just drop the subject.

Roxas let out yet another light sigh, before closing his eyes and hanging his head slightly. "...Riku.. I'm gonna go home, alright? I think you need to get some rest. Take it easy, drink some tea. Call me tomorrow when you calm down, okay?"

"But Roxas, wai-" Though he rose a hand to try to stop his friend, Roxas was just a little quicker in his escape. The blond turned from his friend and quickly walked towards the direction they'd been going, leaving poor crazy Riku's arm hanging in disbelief. "He didn't.. see her.." His arm lowered and those sea green eyes slowly turned back towards the park. "...Going to die..." He repeated once more. And instead of following Roxas home, as he'd done ceremoniously for years - he turned and headed back into that park, as the sun began to dip down into the horizon.

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It was nightfall when Riku had begun to rethink his stake out post. It was getting cold, and frankly, very, very late. It was almost 2am! He should have been in bed four hours ago. Riku sighed, folding his arms as he leaned back against his stake out tree trunk, tapping his index finger against his arm. What was he waiting for? Why was he even here..? He thought, looking about the park. He'd been staring at that stupid fountain for hours. All he saw pass by was an old woman, a dog and some squirrels. This was a waste of time..

Just as he pushed himself from the tree, and took a few good steps back out in the open, he heard a rustle nearby and quickly hid himself again behind the tree trunk. For the moment, it was more to save himself from being caught by the authorities, since he was a minor hanging out in a dark park all friggin' night.

As he peeked around the tree to see who was coming towards him, he saw across from him a large man, rather ugly, step out of the bushes. He had such an air about him.. he was wearing a white school uniform, a sign of leadership. He must be in a gang or something. His greasy slicked back hair and small beady eyes didn't help his appearance; he looked like he hadn't taken a bath in weeks. He carried nothing on him, but a moment later another person, in a black uniform came out from the bushes. He looked like a copy of the last guy, just scrawny and pathetic.. Almost sickly. His skin was much more pale than his friend's.

They walked towards the fountain and sat down, one pulling out a cigarette, the other holding a bottle of something that might have been beer. And they both looked completely smashed-face drunk. They were loud too, but here in a deep park, that didn't really matter, Riku thought.

He watched as the two laughed and called each other nasty names, using a vocabulary most delinquents used because they actually thought it made them look 'cool'. They stayed like that for about a half an hour, before yet another person came. But this person brought Riku's attention up very quickly. Blond hair.. white dress.. It was that girl! But - she'd been cut up, beaten down before.. And that dress was totally ripped up before! Did she have two of them..?

Her hair was so much nicer though, not torn out or messed up. It was out of her eyes, fully showing pretty angelic features of Porcelain skin and deep green eyes. Her bangs flayed out over her forehead, leaving the rest pinned back in a half ponytail, the rest of the long straight locks slipping perfectly over her shoulders. She was - very beautiful.

She stopped mid-step when she suddenly realized there were two boys sitting at the fountain, and suddenly looked a bit worried. She wasn't one of their friends..? Well, he supposed not. Frankly she didn't look the type to hang out with people like them. Unfortunately, the two boys didn't feel the same.

The larger one slowly stood up, a wicked grin crossing his face. "Hey baby," he said in a deep baritone "what's a pretty thing like you doing here in the middle of the night? You come to play with us?"

"N-no..." She responded, immediately averting her eyes as if that would help her situation much. "I.. I was just taking a shortcut home. That's all.. I work late."

The man grinned even more, walking up to the girl, his friend of course following. "Yeah? You need an escort?"

"Ah..?" She looked up, blinking a little, looking a bit confused. What was that, sarcasm?

The man just laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "I know, I know, I'm drunk. Tell ya what. My friend here and I will take ya home. What if somebody wanted to like, sex ya up? You're a tiny little thing!"

She just blinked again. What? "Uh.. uhm..."

As Riku watched the poor girl get even more confused, and the boys try to convince her walking alone was a bad idea, Riku noticed something else in the background.. It looked like a man, sort of. The shadow of one at least, was directly across from him, hiding behind another tree. He only really noticed him because something shiny caught the moonlight and hit him right in the eye.. it looked like - a knife. He frowned a little, his hands gripping the tree slightly.

The boys just laughed, waving the girl off a bit. "Suit yourself. Be careful sweetheart!" The large one smiled, walking off down the sidewalk with his friend, into the darkness. Probably off to find a quieter place to drink. The girl just stood there, sighing, as she laid a delicate hand across her chest. Those boys were actually trying to be nice. That was a turn around.

She almost remembered she needed to keep walking, before Riku saw that man in the shadows move. The poor boy was so frightened though, not in a scared little boy way. Just in a sense he was confused, had no idea what was going on and was in a dark park at 2AM in the morning.

He watched in horror as that man practically jumped out of those bushes, a knife held firmly in his hand as he rounded the girl - who now looked completely scared - slipping an arm around her neck and the other pointing the knife at her chest. The man's face was obscured, but that long silver hair was beautiful. Riku's eyes only widened more as he heard that voice - that deep, sultry, slow voice. The kind of voice that made most of the girls go crazy.

"Don't move.." he said, his tanned lips becoming a sudden grin. The girl complied, she didn't move, and the man took that as an invitation to continue. The knife slowly slipped down between her breasts, towards her stomach, and around her upper thigh. "You're very beautiful, Raquel. I've been watching you.. You're like them. My beautiful chosen.." He whispered in her ear as that knife stopped and began to move upwards again towards her breasts. "Purity.. must remain pure. You understand...? I am pure.. you are pure.. then we can.. be pure.. together... Raquel..."

"Stop!" Riku blurted that out before he even realized he was doing it. The man stopped suddenly, that knife slipping to the side of her, giving her leeway to escape his arms.

She of course, ran right for the fountain. The man simply stared at Riku, his bright orange eyes studying him, watching.. Judging. And suddenly he began to grin again, slipping the knife into the back of his belted trench coat. "My... Aren't you beautiful? Are you pure as well..? Like us..."

Riku frowned, taking a step back. Pure, what the hell? "You're crazy! Get out of here before I call the cops!"

This just made the man laugh. "Purity.. Purity. You're as beautiful as she.. and I.. Has no one touched you? Your eyes.. they tell me wonders of your untouched body..." But just as the man was about to raise an arm, reaching out for Riku, off in the distance sirens could be heard. It sounded like police sirens.. And they were getting ever closer.

This caused the man to back off, his outstretched arm lowering as he started already escaping into the darkness once more. Riku only stood there, watching as a would-be killer ran away into the park. His senses came to him though, when he heard a lighter voice speak to him from behind, among the many sirens getting closer still.

"Uhm..t..thank you..." The blond girl said quietly, keeping her eyes downcast more out of shyness than anything.

This relaxed Riku somehow, and he smiled back, nodding. "No problem.. I'm glad you're okay. You looked pretty beaten up before..."

She looked up at him then, looking a bit confused. "Beaten.. up..? Have we met..?"

The silver haired boy just blinked, looking a bit confused. "Yeah.. here in the park. I saw you walking into it and -"

"Here..? But I just moved into this town. I don't think I've ever been here before.."

They both stood in silence for a long time, even as multiple footsteps could be heard, and the calling out of various men they stared at each other in bemusement. Even as the police arrived, and took the girl away, another man questioning Riku about what had happened, they just watched each other. Something was going on.. and it worried Riku. He could tell the girl was thinking the same thing, as the men gently escorted her to their police cars.

Riku noticed - and ignored the cop questioning him in the process - that those two boys were standing there explaining everything to yet another man. They called the police..? Riku smiled a bit... guess you can't guess a book by its cover, as they say.

Once the police had elected any information they could out of the three boys, they told them to go straight home, and together. Why they wouldn't offer them a ride, was beyond them, but at least they didn't get into trouble for being out so late.

The larger man grinned as he walked up to Riku, sticking his hand out. "I'm Soki. This is Randy. Nice to meetcha. Whatcha did back there, you got guts man. Right on." Riku slowly took the man's hand, shaking it slowly. He looked so lost, it wasn't even funny, but thankfully the large bear named Soki just took it as Riku being in shock. "...And you are...?"

He blinked, snapping out of his confusion realizing he was being rude. "Oh! Sorry.. Uh.. I'm Riku. I'm class 3-C at Yoshinaga high school... "

They both grinned, shaking Riku's hand diligently. "Great! Alright, Riku of Yoshinaga High. Listen up! As of today, the Negishi family is behind you! I admire your guts, even if you don't have the brawn to back it up. Consider yourself part of the family!"

He blinked.. huh? What? "W-wait, don't just decide things on your own!"

"No worries! You'll love it." The man broke off his hand, suddenly swinging an arm around Riku's shoulders, tugging the poor small man against his big smelly armpit. "We're gonna be best buds! Hey don't worry. We wont make you do anything weird. Ya do whatcha want! We're setting an example for those other gangs out there, ya know?"

"Yeah!" The smaller man said. Riku just winced.. that voice was shrill. He was glad the guy didn't talk much..

As Soki ranted and raved on and on about how wonderful his gang was, and his little friend Randy poked in a few sentences or words now and then, Riku was of course dragged off towards that fountain to join his new.. friends.. in an all night-er. It could have been worse.. they could have been jerks. At least.. they were normal? Sort of..

Still, Riku felt it. The air around the park was less chilly. It felt more like the summer air, warm and welcoming, as it should of been. Riku felt as if, he'd changed something. Or maybe something changed him. Either way.. He felt things were about to get worse.


	3. Chapter 3 Wayward Schoolbag

Warning: Yaoi/Shounen Ai - Man sex and/or Fluffy kissy romance with two men. You know you want it. But in case you don't, turn back now.

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts is the property of Disney and SquareEnix. Final Fantasy is the property of SquareEnix. Any characters with no relation to before stated companies belong to me.

Note: Sorry this was so late. My hamster, Ben, was sick all week. And I've been worried. Now he's barely alive. We expect him to die any hour now.. I'm really depressed. Please be patient with the next chapter. I don't know how long I can sit here and write. Thank you so much for your patience.. I hope you enjoy this. I had almost finished it before everything happened, so I just topped it off.

Wayward School Bag

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Since that - interesting - day, Riku had taken to questioning himself and his own sanity. Did I just imagine it? He wondered, upon many other questions swirling around in his head. He paid no mind to the girls who often crowded around him just to fawn and drool over the pretty boy. He actually, more often than not, hung around his new friends, Soki and Randy. Sure they seemed a burly bunch, but in the end, they never pushed drinking or smoking onto him, and they actually did attend class. Strange for a couple of delinquents, but as they said, they were setting an example. Apparently they meant it.

Roxas, on the other hand, had been avoiding Riku. Since that day he seemed to snap into delusions about bloody women in parks, he was already stand offish, but now Riku was hanging around -these- types of guys. Roxas' mother already have qualms about the boy hanging around Riku, as he seemed a bit depressed and way ward already. Now it was just ten times worse to "prove" her assumptions correct.

Riku didn't seem to mind. Roxas was one of his best friends, yes, but.. In the end, he knew they would part ways eventually. At least that's what he kept telling himself. In reality he was a little hurt.. But he had to stay away, if both parents and child didn't want him around, right..?

Today, Soki and Randy seemed to me out on some sort of "mission". Probably to see how the girl was from last night. Riku had been in late classes, retaking a test he'd missed the day he'd been out with his new friends all night. When he was finally released from his educational prison, the sun was already sinking into the mountain range off in the distance, casting a bright golden hue over the rest of the land.

With a heavy sigh, he pried his eyes from the beautiful scene, towards the dirt street connecting his school to the neighbourhood in front of him. I don't really want to go home.. He thought, hoisting his school bag over his left shoulder. What could he do though? Soki and Randy were indisposed, and Roxas wasn't really an option right now... Maybe I'll just take a walk in the field.

The walk to the field was short, since it was directly behind the school. It was where people went from this place, to skip classes, make out, smoke cigarettes, ect. But as he walked into it, he heard something out of place. Sniffling? Crying? He padded over to where he heard that sound, trying to locate it's source, but due to the crunching of weeds and plants, he alerted whoever was crying before he could get to them. A boy popped out of the long weeds and grass, as if he'd been hiding within them. Riku was a little started, but stopped as he took a good look at him.

He was cute. Like, baby doll cute. Chocolate brown hair, spiked up every which way, but still looked good and styled like normal hair. And his skin, though pale, was darker than his, and in the golden sunset, seemed much more brown than it actually was. But those eyes were what caught his attention. Gleaming in the sun, like two bright sapphires lingering in the darkness, they stood out to him and almost.. called to him. As if they wished for his comfort, his embrace. They looked so.. desperate and sad.

"Uhm..." The boy started, sniffling a bit more before trying to wipe his eyes of his tears. "S-sorry... I.. I didn't think anybody else was here... I..."

Riku smiled. He has a nice voice... "No, no.. I'm sorry. I didn't think anybody was here either. I just.. came to think is all. I didn't mean to scare you."

The boy nodded a bit, but for some strange reason wouldn't look at him. Was he shy?

Riku rubbed the back of his head a little.. He was sure he'd seen this boy before somewhere. He assumed in school, since he was wearing the same uniform. "Ah.. I'm Riku! It's nice to meet you."

The boy glanced up at him a bit, but his eyes just flicked downward again. "...I..I'm Sora..."

"It's nice to meet you, Sora. Ahm.. What are you doing out here..? I mean.. crying... Are you alright?"

Sora bit his lip. There, in his eyes, looked like he wanted to say so much. But he wasn't talking at all.. It made Riku worry slightly. What could make such a pretty guy look so sad..? "Well.. Uhm..."

"I'm sorry!" Sora cried out, looking up at him pathetically. He looked like a lost puppy. "I.. I have to go. Uh.. Please, excuse me!" He gave Riku a quick bow before he rushed off out of the field.

Riku watched him leave, lifting a hand to reach out to the boy, but he was long gone by now. A quick runner, it seemed. Riku sighed, lowering his hand to his side, still watching where that boy had left. "...It's okay..." He said quietly, more to Sora than himself.. Even if he was only talking to himself.

Turned away then, ready to reconsider and just go home, before he noticed something where that boy, Sora, was sitting. It brought a slight smile to his face.. There in the brush, layed a school bag. And as he reached down to take it in his hands, the little tag on it simply said "Sora".

"You're supposed to put your address and last name on this.. Doofus." He chuckled. That boy really was cute...

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The next day, school was just as usual. Well, save Soki and Randy, whom everyone avoided. Those two had the day off from their school, so they decided to hang out with their new friend at his before the classes began. Riku was laughing and speaking to them as if nothing was wrong, which made the other students worry a bit. Did they really have someone from -their- school, speaking with people like -them-?

Riku knew. He saw their glances, knew their looks.. But he didn't care. Not anymore. Even his little fan club stayed away from him, and frankly he thought that a plus.

He did notice, out of the corner of his eye, someone watching him though. Not in the way these people had been.. in another way. Like he was spying on him. A boy, hiding behind a tree, watching him as he spoke to his friends. He remembered that face too, that young man, Sora. He was unbelievably shy, it seemed, but Riku wouldn't just go up to him and start talking to him. He wanted to draw the boy out of his hiding spot, get him to come over to him. Shyness was cute, but, often the cause of many problems.

So, he flung his school bag over his shoulder, plus one more school bag, and he knew Sora would recognize it.

Sora's eyes widened a bit, and he almost reared back further into his hiding spot. But.. I really need my school bag... He sighed, looking around at everybody. At least he wasn't around all of his fan girls.. right? Maybe he should go up there? But no. Instead, defeated, he only sunk back into the trees he was hiding in, before finally going to class when the bell rang.

Riku, was to say the least, a little disappointed.

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The school day went as normal. Riku was found here and there, wandering the halls during break. Occasionally he'd try to corner Roxas with a hello or a how are you, but the boy escaped as soon as Riku approached him. When the school day was finally out, he made his way to the courtyard to the right of the building to get a little peace and quiet. The girls constantly hounding him were a bit much to handle day after day, and every so often he'd make his escape to this little place nobody ever went to.

Well.. nobody -did-. Today there was that mop of brown spiky hair poking out just over the white blossom bush the overgrew the yard. It brought a slight smile to Riku's lips.

Sora was just sitting there, seemingly just staring off into space. But Riku knew better, he knew the boy looked utterly depressed. As Riku slowly walked around the bush, he gave the boy a smile, taking himself a seat right next to him. He was glad that Sora didn't run away or looked like Riku was about to attack him this time. He just kept staring off into space.

"Hey there." Riku flashed the burnett a smile, holding up his schoolbag. "You forgot something last time."

Sora slowly looked over at Riku, his eyes drifting from the smug features of this silver haired boy to the black briefcase looking bag in his hand. "...Oh..."

Riku frowned a bit. What was with this guy? "Hey, are you alright? Every time I see you, you look kind of.. well... yeah."

Sora smiled up at Riku a bit, but it was a sad sort of smile. Like he didn't really mean it, but he knew this boy probably wanted to see it. "...I'm fine now..." He said quietly, turning his head back towards the flowers that lay before them, in a bed lining the steel fence. "...It's nice now..."

"Nice now? Ah.. Well.. That's good..." Riku gently laid the bag next to Sora, rubbing the back of his head. "Hey.. I've seen you around school. You're always alone..."

"...No friends..."

Riku yet again, faulted into a frown. Well.. that was a simple answer. "No friends at all?"

"None at all..."

"Well.. hm..." He smiled, tucking back a little bit of silver hair behind his ears. "...How about.. sometime we go to a movie then?"

Sora smiled a bit, yet again sad, but it held a slight meaning to it this time. "...A movie... "

"Yeah. You know there's a new one out, about some mutated turtles and a rat. It's supposed to be really great!"

"...I'd... like that." Sora looked back at Riku then, his pretty blue eyes softening in the golden hue of the dusk light. "...I've been wanting so much, to meet you Riku..."

Riku had to blush at that. The boy was really cute, he knew that. But now he was just... really really cute! He looked nicer when he smiled. He could imagine what that smile would look like if it were brighter.. lighter. More happy.. Loneliness made people so cold sometimes.. others so empty. With him, he was filled with something, much more painful. Sadness, he could guess... "Wanting to meet me? Well.. thanks. I'm glad you wanted to even talk to me, I was thinking I might of been intruding..."

"...Riku..." Was the soft voice that called after, and Riku stopped. Sora looked so happy then, but at the same time so sad. And as Sora raised his hand to very gently touch the cheek of his new friend, Riku's eyes widened.

There was no warmth.


	4. Chapter 4 Plan of Attack

Authors note: I know I know! MONTHS. I'm so sorry to make you guys wait -this- long. Currently I'm taking ancient religion, culinary arts, music theory, radio and broadcasting and Japanese history. Studying all of these has made my brain poof and thus I am a squiggling pile O' goo. But worry not my friends! For Jasmine Flame, a fellow fanfiction writer, has given my life! She's my RP buddy and one of my best friends. XD She keeps me from going bonkers with an axe. Weeee! So be patient. They -will- come out. I won't drop this story, I promise. It'll just take a bit of time to complete due to all of my studying.

And wish me luck! Please! ; ; If you leave a comment, just say good luck! I need all the support I can get! I love you guys like THIS much! zomg you all are way awesome. 3

Disclaimer and Warning: Any names that are exact within Kingdom Hearts belong to Kingdom Hearts. Any names that are not in Kingdom Hearts are my characters. I've drawn them, nobody cares they're mine, but apparently I need to say this anyway. :P

Yaoi! Or shounen ai. Probably shounen ai. I'm a fluffanator! To put it simply, MANSEX! Gays, homosexuals, pretty little bishouen kissing each other and making each other feel warm and gooey inside:D Dun like it, go away! Nobody likes you either! XD

PS: Thank you for being so patient. You have no idea how much I love you guys for it.

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Plan of Attack

His fingers passed through easily; the blank look on Sora's face told it all. Riku frowned, moving his hand up at eye level to observe his fingers, as if this were some sort of dream. Sora.. his hand went right through him. Just like that woman.

The elder raised his green lit eyes back up to his friend, who only smiled wistfully back at him. "Sora.. what.." He questioned, unable to really pass a coherent sentence.

Sora just shook his head. He wasn't speaking.. but he had not long ago hadn't he!? Riku frowned even more and shot his hands out to grab at the youngers shoulders. Of course they went right through him, and Riku quickly pulled them back as if burned. "No... You can't be!"

This was impossible. Riku had always noticed Sora. Sulking, crying, quietly sitting alone in the class or at lunch. Had he no friends? Now that he thought about it.. Sora rarely smiled.

Riku looked back up, shaking his head. "...H...How are.. you..." He didn't want to say it. It would just confirm his fears.. He didn't understand all of this. This was so strange and he didn't quite know what to make of it. But he did understand one thing.. the dead were speaking to him, and it wasn't natural.

Sora slowly shook his head, and laid a hand over the schoolbag Riku carried. It was a clue, though Sora never took his eyes from the elders. Riku looked lost for a moment. A schoolbag.. a schoolbag! Right! He slowly raised the brown satchel up, showing Sora the front of it. "So... you.. want this back, right?" He said, and Sora nodded, smiling a bit. But then Sora did something strange.. he slowly raised his hand up and laid it over Riku's chest. No heat, no weight, but Riku somehow felt it regardless. A cold breath brushing over his heart... His heart. That's right.. Sora had been so sad.. and so scared. And, when had the boy ever approached him? Riku's eyes softened, as he laid his hand over Sora's softly, taking care not to send his skin through the spiritual matter.

"Sora's heart... It's cold..." Sora nodded slowly, leaning forward a bit. Riku nodded in reply. "Sora.. I had no idea. Is it too late..?"

The brunet slowly shook his head, lidding his eyes at Riku. He seemed so relaxed, so calm.. unlike the Sora he'd seen earlier that day. He had such a beautiful smile, he noticed...

"I'll find you Sora.. I won't let this happen to you!" And before he knew it, with a nod and a bright smile, Sora simply vanished, fading back into the background of the courtyard. Riku then pressed his hand's weight against his own chest, bowing his head and closing his eyes, a faint whisper passing through his lips. "...I won't.. let you leave me."

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Nobody would believe him of course, if he expressed his pure delusional insanity to his friends. 'Hey guess what guys, I saw a ghost! He told me to save him!'. Yeah.. he couldn't do that. So for the remainder of that day, he spent it looking for his would-be friend. You'd think a spiky mop of brown hair would be easy to find amongst the people with much more normal haircuts.. but, he was nowhere to be found. Then Riku recalled Sora speaking with one of the girls that would often come up to him for lunch. Kairi.

Kairi he'd heard, was on the girls softball team. She was always bright and cheerful, and seemed to be a great team player. That and she was really good at swinging the bat. As simple as that sounded, Riku remembered a time when he could barely swing a stick properly.

So Riku soon found himself out on the court field, watching the girls play their game from the bleachers on the top. Of -course- all the girls there noticed him. He was like a shining beacon of light screaming his location to these girls. Kairi wasn't so star-struck though, and simply appreciated the fact he came to watch them play. Once the game had come to it's day's end, the little redhead girl came up to Riku with a bright smile. "Hey there sleepy! What were you daydreaming about?"

Riku blinked, realizing he'd been staring off out into the field. "Oh.. sorry. I was thinking about something."

"Or someone?" She giggled, hopping up the bleachers until she got to the top, plopping down right next to the elder softly. "Namine' said you'd been here the whole game. I heard you wanted to speak with me."

Riku blinked. "Speak.. well.. yeah. How did you know? I didn't say anything to anyone.."

"Call it woman's intuition! Girls are sooo much better at it than boys. That and you'd snap out of your daydream every time I came near you. You looked like you wanted to say something when I did. I just put two and two together."

Riku chuckled, rubbing the back of his head shyly. "Ah.. sorry. I guess you caught me."

"So what's on the mind of the all mighty and popular Riku?"

The elder laughed, shaking his head. "I don't know about that.. Actually.. I didn't really know who else to speak with. Do you know a kid named Sora?"

Kairi perked up, lidding her eyes happily. "Yup! He comes to watch us play sometimes. When we finish we talk a little bit before I go hit the showers. I always wanted to ask him if he wanted to hang out or walk home with me, but he always disappears before I can.. I sometimes forget to ask beforehand." She bopped herself playfully on the side of the head, giggling. "I've got a lot of things on my mind for school so.. yeah. Why do you ask?"

The white haired boy nodded, his eyes slowly drifting to stare out into the horizon. The sun would be setting in a few hours, he noted.. "Sora's been looking really .. depressed lately. It always seemed normal to me, I thought he was just another little emo kid. But.. ah.. today I guess I saw something different."

"Different?"

"Yeah.. he ah. Looked a little too depressed.. he left his back out in the field, and I thought I'd return it to him. But when I smiled at him, he looked scared and ran away.."

"Aaah.. There's a good reason for that."

"What's that?"

Kairi sighed, leaning her arms on her knees. "At home, his family is kind of abusive. Not physically, he's perfectly healthy. But verbally he's bashed almost everynight. I heard it from a friend who lives next door to him. She says she can hear them practically screaming at him through the walls everynight.. On top of that, because he's so skittish, everyone thinks he's weird. So nobody plays with him or talks to him.. So he's always alone, dealing with his problems. He probably ran away from you because he was scared of you.. You're kind of intimidating, mr. super popularity."

Riku just sighed, tilting his head hopelessly to the side. Damn.. was that why. He didn't even ask for his stupid reputation.. damnit. "...I see... Any ideas how to approach him? Ahm.. preferably soon?"

Kairi tilted her head a bit, thinking a moment in silence. Before Riku knew it, she'd gotten up to her feet with the most determined look on her face. "I got it!"

Riku just sort of lent away in surprise, a little sweatdrop forming on the side of his head. "Uh.. yeah?"

"Yeah!" Kairi grinned, holding up a finger in Riku's face. "He loves animals. Loves loves looooves animals! He told me so himself! Since his family doesn't allow him to have pets, he can't care for any, and if he goes home smelling like them, he gets into a lot of trouble."

"So.. this isn't a solution you know..."

"It is! If you really wanna make him happy, corner him and attack!"

"A...Attack...?"

"Yeah! Make your move at the right moment and capture the enemy! Then imprison him and force him to love and hug fluffy cute poofies until he can't stand it anymore! Then strip him!"

Riku's left eye started twitching. "S...Strip!?"

Kairi blinked at him, and her eyes narrowed knowingly with the most devious grin. "Ooooh..? What are -you- thinking mr. popular?"

Was he blushing? No! Of course not! He didn't blush at anything! He momentarily cursed his pale skin... "W..What did you want me to think!?"

"The washer stupid! After he's done playing with the animals, you wash his clothes you pervert!"

"...O..Oh..."

"And you have him take a shower, and poof! All better! He's happy, his parents never know and you are popular with yet another person!"

Riku just laughed a little. Despite the.. strange way she put this situation, he thought it was a pretty good idea. If this would make Sora smile, Riku would do just about anything it took to make it happen. "I got it. Then.. Tomorrow I attack."

"It's a failproof plan! I have tons of animals at my house! Why don't you two come on over?"

"Really?" Riku practically lit up. "Sora would love that! I'm sure of it! Kairi thank you!"

"Hey, anytime. Like I'll ever pass up a chance to make two cute new friends!"

And so as the sun set on the first day of their ultimate, super, fail-proof plan to make Sora a giggling little school'girl', it had been decided. Sora would be the target of attack that very morning.


End file.
